Despite his lack of biological offspring, Dorian has a huge parental streak. He is protective, loyal and easily swayed to sentimentality, to the point where he is unable to make rational decisions that conflict with the interests of those he cares about.

Unassuming and slow to anger, he believes himself indebted to Orobelle for his employment, and his obedience rules him, overriding just about every one of his instincts. He has an exceptional level of restraint, almost never initiating confrontational interactions—except on orders, or on the behalf of those he cares for.

He counts his blessings with persistent resolve, and to any voiced pessimism he readily and firmly responds with assurances about the good in every situation. In a part of his mind that he continually suppresses, he is troubled by moral questions, about the manner in which he and other Second World servants were acquired, and about the home he left behind. These are questions he is incapable of voicing, because of the immense power that Orobelle wields over him.

Story

Born in the village of the clan of Licur, within the Diamond Duchy's earthquake-stricken territories, Dorian was a guard and eruption watcher. Life was cheap there, and in a line of work like his, he lived each day not knowing if he would survive it. In this shared fear, he and fellow watchers became close.

When Orobelle came seeking to purchase a protector, Dorian was Chief Corcaro's first recommendation. After a day's negotiation, he accepted employment on the condition that his biological family—his widowed sister Amaranthia and her daughter, Freesia, be allowed to move to the Duchy with him.

In the Duchy, he was assigned the role of protector and Two of the court, and has served Orobelle for two years. He is one of few people towards whom Orobelle harbours genuine care.

Dorian's loyalty to Orobelle is unwavering, in spite of his ambivalence about the manner in which she came to own him. He knows to separate his opinions from his duty to her, which rules him completely, now that all other meaning to his life has been stripped away by his permanent departure from his perilous old home.

As twins, Dorian and Amaranthia were always closer than siblings normally were in Tyse, whose society was organised around clans rather than nuclear family units. He knew that the chance to leave her old home following her husband's death would be invaluable to her. Amaranthia is the only person he values higher than his servitude to Orobelle.

Ever since Freesia lost her father and her mother descended into a depressive grief, Dorian has taken it upon himself to be as much of a caretaker figure to her as he can, and as she needs. This has been made increasingly harder by his work.

Facts

Besides having trained with the sword, Dorian has the ability to vary the temperature of anything within a range of about 5 feet by altering its molecular vibrations—bringing it below freezing or far above boiling in a second. Generally, he is much better at instilling heat than cold.

Dorian enjoys—or enjoyed—the sporadic flask of wine, especially at the start of night shift. It is perhaps the thing he misses most about home, living in the Duchy.

Licur has moved twice due to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. On one occasion, Dorian was on watch near the volcano peak, warning the village with a blast of the horn before fleeing the first spattering of debris.